Ralph R. Bender

World War II
-
MIA
Fallen

County:
LaMoure

Date of Loss:

Recovered:
Remains not recovered

Branch of Service:
Army

Rank:
Staff Sergeant

Battalion / Task Group / Squadron or equivalent:
710th Bomber Squadron

Regiment / Group / Brigade:
447th Bomber Group

Listed on/in the:
Register of North Dakota Veterans World War II 1941-1945 and Korean Conflict 1950-1953, published 1968

Major Battle/Theatre:
European African Middle Eastern Theater

Medals and Honors:

Circumstances:

Ralph was declared "Missing In Action" when his B-17 collided with B-17G #42-38075 and crashed in the North Sea near Wesermunde, Germany during the war

Biography:

Staff Sergeant Ralph Bender was born in Berlin, LaMoure County, North Dakota on September 19, 1922.

Ralph served as a Staff Sergeant & Ball Turret Gunner on B-17G "Paper Doll" #42-31112, 710th Bomber Squadron, 447th Bomber Group, Heavy, U.S. Army Air Forces during World War II.

He resided in Maricopa County, Arizona prior to the war.

He enlisted in the Army on October 15, 1942 in Phoenix, Arizona. He was noted, at the time of his enlistment, as being employed as a sheet metal worker and also as Single, without dependents.

Ralph was declared "Missing In Action" when his B-17 collided with B-17G #42-38075 and crashed in the North Sea near Wesermunde, Germany during the war.

He was awarded the Air Medal with 1 Oak Leaf Cluster and the Purple Heart.